When Ryou Gets Sick
by The Fellow Marauder
Summary: Ryou is desperatly ill and does not show up for work. When Dee shows up, excited to see his partner, he hears about Ryou. Skipping work to see him, he takes care of his partner. R&R!


I got this idea a while ago when I was re-reading my FAKE manga. It deals with the last act in the fourth book when Dee gets sick and Ryou takes care of him. For a little recap, at the end of that little act, Ryou kissed Dee and Dee said that Ryou would be hacking up a lung too. Ryou said Dee would have to take care of him... yadda, yadda, yadda... and I got to thinking: what would happen if Ryou did get sick? Just some stupid background info for ya. ::smile::

Disclaimer: ((I am sticking with this one)) I do not own FAKE; FAKE owns me.

It had been three days since Dee Laytner had seen the inside of the 27th Precincts Homicide Division office-- and the way that he was acting when he returned made anyone who remotely knew him wonder just why he had been on leave of absense. Dee was not acting like his usual grumbly and attitudey self; he was _happy_ to be back at the two-seven. His happiness scared Drake, Chief, JJ and even Rose. They all feared that he had had a brain injury of some sort.

"God, it's great to be here." Dee said, sighing happily and placing his hands on his hips, looking around the office. All his co-workers fixed him with looks of worry and horror. Dee must have been on something... The only one to stand up and say anything about his unusual behavior was Drake.

"What's wrong with you, man? You're acting totally weird."

Dee snorted momentarily. "You would be acting like this if you were stuck in your dinky little apartment for three days straight." Drake twitched.

"My apartment's not dinky." He muttered under his breath; only to make himself feel better. Everyone knew Dee spoke the truth, however: Drake's apartment was like a walk-in closet. Dee ignored him, but from not hearing or lack of interest was anyone's guess. Although, due to Dee's persona, it was probably the latter.

"And my partner," Dee snorted. "He wouldn't even let me move! He did everything for me!" Although he meant it to sound like he was complaining, the effect was the opposite. He sounded more pleased with himself and happy that he had had Ryou's full attention for the past three days. As Dee's thoughts focused on his partner, he looked around the office, looking over everyone's heads to see if he could spot someone. "Where is Ryou anyway? Is he on third shift?"

Drake's eyes narrowed in confusion. "Did... Didn't anyone tell you, Dee?"

Dee's eyes narrowed too, sharing both Drake's confusion and adding suspicion to it. "Tell me what? Where is Ryou? Is he okay?"

"He called in sick." Drake replied. Dee's mouth dropped open. "He sounded really bad; like he was hacking up a lung or choking on a toad." A look of horror consumed Dee's face. Without a single warning, he ran to the coat rack and grabbed his faded brown leather coat, throwing it on and running out the door. Drake stood there, too shocked to object. JJ was the one who spoke up and said something.

"Dee! Hey, Dee! Where are you going!?"

Right before he ran down the stairwell to leave the building, he looked back and replied to JJ's persistant and annoying questions. "Ryou has been with me for the past three days! He has to be sick because of me!" He then ran out, calling after him a demand to tell the chief where he went. JJ and Drake exchanged confused glances and then braced themselves to tell the chief what they were told to say.

When Dee got to Ryou's apartment, he rode the elevator to Ryou's floor. The ride seemed to take forever, leaving Dee anxiously waiting inside and pacing back in forth. He was worried and could not, for the life of him, keep still. Why hadn't Ryou called him to tell him that he was sick? Ryou knew that Dee would come immediately if he knew that Ryou was not feeling well. Ryou had taken care of Dee, and Dee had promised to take care of Ryou if he got sick. Dee slammed his clenched fist against the side of the elevator, making it numb slightly with pain; but he ignored it. "Dammit, Ryou!" He exclaimed. "Why the hell didn't you tell me?"

After what felt like an eternity to Dee, he finally reached Ryou's apartment floor. Running out of the elevator before the doors had opened fully, Dee then raced to Ryou's apartment at the end of the hallway. Taking out his keys, he found Ryou's spare and put the key in the lock, opening the door. Pushing it open slowly, he peered inside. Darkness encompassed the room and made the apartment seem vacant and lonely. Through the darkness, Dee could make out Ryou's belongings, so he knew that Ryou had not been kidnapped or robbed of all his posessions. Stepping inside the apartment, he slowly closed the door behind him and waited a brief moment for his eyes to adjust to the absense of light. Once his eyes were fully adjusted, he carefully and slowly made his way to Ryou's bedroom down the hall. Upon reaching the door, Dee placed his palm on the center of the door and pushed it lightly open. Ryou's bedroom was lit with a reading lamp that sat on his nightstand beside his bed and the light seemed to hit Ryou and reflect off him, making him look like a glowing angel. Dee's breath was caught briefly in his throat as he looked at the man he loved. Ryou looked so gentle and so vulnerable, laying there with his eyes closed and a look of sweetness across his face. Walking up to him, Dee placed a light touch on his partner's forehead; and it was then that he remembered that Ryou was sick. His fingers stung momentarily from the surprise of not preparing himself for the heat. Pulling his hand back, the look of shock was still etched in his facial features when Ryou stirred and then opened his eyes slightly.

"De... Dee?" He muttered, looking slightly confused. "Dee, what are you doing here?" He attempted to sit up but his weakened and shaky arms collapsed beneath him. Dee rushed to Ryou's side and placed a light hand on his shoulder.

"Don't get up, Ryou. You're still sick, remember?"

"Yea, but what are you doing here?" Ryou whispered. He was so tired and so lightheaded from being sick that he did not have the strength to speak in a louder voice than a low whisper.

"Drake told me you called in sick." Dee replied, placing his hands around the top of Ryou's comforter and sliding it up to Ryou's chin trying to keep him warm. After that action was done, Dee sat down on the edge of the bed beside Ryou. His palms reached out to Ryou's and the two partners held hands. Ryou's hands were much more lax than Dee's stronger hold. Dee looked into his partner's hazy and dark eyes. "Why didn't you call me when you were sick?"

"Because I couldn't." Ryou replied. "I called the office and then I passed out from the fever." Dee was about to say something when Ryou concluded. "Besides, I knew that you would skip work to be with me if I told you." Dee chuckled.

"Well, you were right." He smiled at Ryou who managed a soft smile in return that brought butterflies to Dee's stomach. "I promised you that I would be by your side if you got sick, right? Like you were with me. I couldn't work knowing that you were here sick all alone."

Ryou chuckled a little. "Thank you, Dee." Dee then leaned close to Ryou, brushing his lips against Ryou's. Ryou accepted the kiss and did not object to it. When Dee pulled away, Ryou smiled at him. "That was sweet."

Dee chuckled. "But not as sweet as you." He replied. He then ran his fingers through Ryou's light brown hair and then stood up. Ryou found his hand reach out to Dee's and hold it, keeping him in the room with him. Dee looked back, surprised. "What's up?" He asked.

"I... I want you to stay." Ryou admitted. Though his fever had made his face flushed, Dee could tell that Ryou was blushing anyhow. He smiled, his heart pounding in his chest, giving off enough adrenaline to make him want to bounce around the room like Daffy Duck in the old Daffy Duck cartoons.

"I'm just going to make you some soup, okay? Chicken noodle sound all right?" Ryou nodded his head. A bit reluctantly, Dee let go of Ryou's hand and made his way out of the bedroom. Walking into the kitchen, he then took out a pot and a can of Campbell's Chicken Noodle Soup and started to warm it up to let it simmer. As he made the soup, he smiled at the thought of Ryou. So cute and vulnerable from being sick, he was unable to hide his true feelings from Dee. Dee thought he was going to like Ryou being sick; if only for a little while. Being close to Ryou and taking care of him was enough to make him all giddy like a sixth grader with a crush on the teacher.


End file.
